Money Wasted? (Spondon-Martek debate...)

[ozkat]

Im proberly going to stir up a hornets nest here but ill do it anyway . There has been a fair bit of talk both here and other forums about aftermarket frames, triple clamps and swingarms. 99% of us here live in Australia so keep that in mind when considering pricing. $10000 for a Spondon frame (inc alloy tank, ohlins rear suspension and swingarm) seems a bit over the top. $1800 for a JMC swingarm is crazy. $1400 for a set of streetfighter style triple clamps...well thats worse than the swingarm. Dont get me wrong if i won lotto i would have a Spondon or Martek frame asap ( i actually would prefer a Martek) But none of these items provide value for money other than bling factor.

[EXBEN]

I guess it all depends on your perspective ,personally I think that $20000-$30000 to build a complete Martek is much better value for money than $30000+ to buy a stock "Hardly Rideable" & a hell of a lot better value for money than $200000 + for a Porsche,Ferrari,Merc......or whatever............ more unique too.
But that's just me.

[03gixxerpilot]

I would tent to agree with ozcat, and as he said if i won lotto tonight i'd have a spondon frame etc on it's way tomorrow. my dad used to tell me if you got a coca cola check book buy coca cola
if you got a champane check book buy champane

[ozkat]

quote:Originally posted by 03gixxerpilot

I would tent to agree with ozcat, and as he said if i won lotto tonight i'd have a spondon frame etc on it's way tomorrow. my dad used to tell me if you got a coca cola check book buy coca cola
if you got a champane check book buy champane

ozkat

[ozkat]

Lets say you have a 2003 GSXR thou, you sell the frame $1000, the tank $350, the rear suspension and Swingarm $500 = $1850 is a Spondon/Martek/Baker/Harris frame $8150 better? Short answer is NO. 99% of riders would notice no difference at all.

[03gixxerpilot]

very true most riders wouldnot notice the diffrence between rsu and usd forks let alone a chassis combo like that, but sill they do look real "BLING"

[suxukifreak]

so why doesnt some one in aus do the same quality stuff as overseas and make us all VERY HAPPY!! []

[EXBEN]

Of course it is better, it may not be measurable around a racetrack,but 99% of the owners aren't on the racetrack 99% of the time & 99% of riders of Gixer Thou's don't make use of the bikes Potential anyway.
Better Quality of materials.
Better Quality of workmanship.
Better amount of uniqueness.
Makes you feel better riding one.
I bet the owners of Spondon's/Martek's don't ride around thinking fuck I'm so pissed off that I spent $30000 on this bike. It's probably more likely that there thinking how much BETTER they are feeling than if ther were riding a stock Gixer Thou like every one else.

[dRRew]

im with oz, if i found 100k in a shoe id be on the phone to spondon before i knew it, but i cant really say that for the coin there is worth. its more like when people are lawyers they buy rolex, yet when they were apprentices or whatever they had nikon like everyone else, there wouldnt really be all that much notciable difference, besides bling i spose, but its up to how much u want to spends and what you expect to get. if you can justify the enjoyment for the $$ then go for it i reckon. later in life im hoping that i can go for it...

[Gix11]

The title was MONEY WASTED. How can buying something you wanted or that makes you feel good be money wasted? How many of you guys have been to the pub and blown $200. That's money wasted, but you still do it and don't complain cause you enjoy it. I don't think a Spondon frame is money wasted, you saved what you earnt, you bought what you wanted. Where's the waste? Having all that money in a fat bank account and then dying the next day is what I call a waste. It's only because we're in Australia and the exchange rate is fucked that it seems a bit harsh, but thems the breaks for living in paradise. If you're chasing value for money why are you into Streetfighters? Maybe the Hyosung is the future for you?

[Zed14]

most of them already have hyosungs gix. made in their japanese factory. they are called suzukis.

[chopaweeza]

There is a solution. Frame jig. Complicated but doable. Take the mounting points measurements and geometry off a stock frame. If you can weld good enough , have a modestly equipped workshop , have the budget and are prepared to spend the time on it then it can be done. It is not as easy as maxxing out the credit card on a Spondon but it can be done. Not done in Alloy but in Cold Drawn Seamless type 2. I can point anyone interested in the right direction and give advice if required. We'd all like a Spondon(even me) but $$$$ are a bitch we all must obey. Just my opinion and not for everyone.

[Razorback]

If I had the money Id buy a spondon frame and build a turbo Busa TOMORROW! How could that possibly be a waste of money ?

[Tony Nitrous]

Quote.Lets say you have a 2003 GSXR thou, you sell the frame $1000, the tank $350, the rear suspension and Swingarm $500 = $1850 is a Spondon/Martek/Baker/Harris frame $8150 better? Short answer is NO. 99% of riders would notice no difference at all.

* I dont think Spondon owners / builders expect their bikes to be better anymore, Yes, 15 years a go they would have been a step up from a Jap frame. The word you look for is "DIFFERENT".
What ever I did to my old bikes KAT/R/B12 and now Busa that is all they ever were, a KAT/R/B12 or Busa, I see a Spondon, Harris, Martek, Egli, G+G as moving to the next level. Not sure "Chop" will agree but to me Its like a Virago / Intruder / Factory Custom will never be a real 1-off personal chop. Streetfighters are "Different" to Factory bikes, thats why everyone chops and changes things, If you want something REALLY different you change the frame, If you want the best you buy Spondon. Seems logical (if expensive) to me.

* Im sure someone in AU can bend and weld tubes! and I wish they would. But one thing they cant produce overnight is a long history of happy customers, race win's, R+D, etc. Some folk would rather pay the extra and buy a known product than take a risk and save money with something yet to be proven, right or wrong, thats the way it is.

* However... I would have though there would have been a market for a basic CDS frame similar to an early Harris or Spondon that would take a GSXR750, RF900, GSXR1100, Bandit12 etc with just a change of mounts ?

* Im sure Ash would agree with me on this one....
Spondons are NOT rich mens bikes, Im always amazed at folk who smoke 40 a day, drink a carton of piss, feed the pokies, have half a dozen kids / cats / dogs etc and say "what a waste of money"
Many Spondon owners are just a bit more serious about what they are doing that the the likes of some of us (Me included)

I think Exben and Gix's comments are pretty close to the mark on this, and I think "Quality" and "exclusive" dont come cheap.

Short answer would have been, if you happy with what (frame) you have got, they are f*ckin expensive, if you WANT a Spondon frame, they are worth every cent.

But then... What the 'ferk do I know

Tony.J.
http://www.spondonownersclub.co.uk/membersbikes.htm
http://www.spondonownersclub.co.uk/gallery.htm

[Large]

I think that owning a Spondon/Martek/Harris is worth it if you want absolute exclusivity. A Gixxer Thou is nice, but there are hundreds out there. With your average Spondon the chance of pulling up next to another one is negligible. For that alone it's worth the admission price.

imho of course

[Tony Nitrous]

quote:Originally posted by Large

I think that owning a Spondon/Martek/Harris is worth it if you want absolute exclusivity. A Gixxer Thou is nice, but there are hundreds out there. With your average Spondon the chance of pulling up next to another one is negligible. For that alone it's worth the admission price.
imho of course

Well said.

Perhaps its 'cos Streetfighters aren't huge out here ?
In the UK if you build a 7/11 or Bandit12 or "Renthal and twin spots" Gixer you have a LOT more chance of being parked with several the same at the Pub/drags/Show. Back home Spondons are still not THAT common in a country of 60,000,000

Tony.J.

[chopaweeza]

Actually Tony, I agree with you. Spondon/Harris/Martek are great frames and are exclusive not only because of their price. The Japs/Italians/Brits have their latest bikes handling so well that you really can't expect an aftermarket frame to compare. It is about individuality nowdays more so than increased performance. Under the rules regarding frame manufacture in NSW it's a huge pain to get a frame design passed that will accomodate widely differing engine sizes so it's not worth it from a manufacturers point of view. People that have had frames built by me do so because they can't find new frames that will do what they want. Whats more exclusive than having a builder handmake a frame just for your bike. It's horses for courses, some will not be satisfied with anything less than a top shelf frame like Spondon , there are those that are happy building around a relatively stock frame and then there are those that want something different but can't find in in their price range or want a more personal involvement with the bike. If we weren't into modifying bikes we wouldn't be into Streetfighters would we??? Stock is boring but how much you want to change things is between you and your wallet.

[Large]

I reckon part of the reason they mod so many bikes in Britain/Europe is because they have to find something to do during their "Building Season" or long cold winter.

I think I only missed riding on 2 or 3 weekends due to weather this year...no time to be modifying while you're riding

[suxukifreak]

Just make your own

[Tony Nitrous]

quote:Originally posted by suxukifreak

Just make your own [/img]

Ha ha, Yeah, although thats an odd looking bike,
it has won several major trophys for engineering.
Has some realy trick features like magnets in his gloves that
activate hidden switches etc.

and yes "Large" you may be right.
I have said for sometime that I thought the cold dark
shitty winters played a big part in UK Bike building.
I kept a bike on the road all year-round, but any thing
like frame-mods / resprays / engine rebuilds were always saved
for Winter, as did many others.